It seems the more time we have, the longer we put off living the life we see in our heads, because we feel like we’ve got some time to kill.

I know where you think I’m going with this, and I also know you’ve heard it all before: seize the day, make the most of it, live life to its fullest, and so on. But that’s the problem. You’ve heard it all before. These ideas have their impact and have become a cliché. Luckily, that’s not my thing.

The real answers wake something up inside you. They make you think. That’s what I want to give you today, the story of Bobby Darin, which wakes you up to the truth.

If you haven’t heard of the man, I know you’ve heard his songs. Among his many hits are Mack the Knife, Beyond the Sea, Dream Lover, and Splish Splash.

If seven years, Darin had several top ten hit songs, was nominated(提名) for four Grammy Awards (winning two), nominated for four Golden Globes (winning one), and even nominated for an Oscar.

So what was his secret?

All his life, Darin had a heart condition that developed from a childhood illness. The doctors at the time said he would be lucky to live to 16. In other words, his time was limited. And this was secret. He knew the truth. He knew that we all have such a hard time accepting: Life is short. You can’t just say it; you can’t just hear it. You have to know it, believe it, and feel it. Because Darin knew his time was limited, he packed as much life as he could into the time he had. But he had an unfair advantage. He knew, without a doubt, his time was limited.

There was no fooling himself, no putting it off. It was now or never.

1. Why do we all have the habit of delaying doing things?

A. Because we think we have time to count our thumb.

B. Because we want to live our life to its fullest.

C. Because we think time and tide wait for no man.

D. Because it takes time to build castle.

2. The underlined word “cliché” in the second paragraph probably means            .

A. motto 

B. legend

C. often-made remark

D. long-lost verse

3. What can we know about Bobby Darin from the passage?

A. He was nominated and won the Oscar Reward.

B. He committed suicide at home at last.

C. He got involved I not only music field but directing.

D. He took a positive attitude towards his illness.

4. What is the secret to Bobby Darin’s success?

A. He knew his life expectancy was short.

B. He was too eager to become famous.

C. He was so devoted to music.

D. He was talented.

Queensland is one of the most amazing states in Australia. It has some of the most beautiful natural scenery on the planet, with the Great Barrier Reef, rainforests and impressive beaches.

The Great Barrier Reef

It is one of the world’s largest natural features. It stretches more that 2,300 km along the north eastern coast of Australia from the northern tip of Queensland to just north of Bundaberg. The things that most surprise visitors to the reef are the colors.

Without doubt, the best way to see the Great Barrier Reef is by diving. If you have a little extra money and you are feeling a bit lazy, you can fly over the reef in a plane.

Fraser Island

Another area of natural beauty is Fraser Island. This is the world’s largest sand island. It’s best visited from Hervey Bay on the mainland, where there are a number of places offering trips around the island. To fully appreciate Fraser Island you should go for three or four days. Attractions include some beautiful fresh-water lakes, particularly Lake Wabby and Lake Mckenzie. You can walk around these on white sands untouched by human footprints. Indian Head also has some beautiful views. Braver travelers can go and watch sharks circling the water hundreds of meters below.

The Whitsunday Islands

It would be a pity to travel around Queensland without taking a trip around the Whitsunday Islands. They were named by Captain Cook in 1770, after the day on which he arrived. Here are some of the great things you can do there.

●Cruise around them on a relaxing trip.

●Take a sailing course.

●Look at the aboriginal (土著的) paintings in caves on Hook Island.

●Have fun in the water doing lots of water sports.

So, will you be going to Queensland?

5. The best way to admire the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef is             .

A. diving in the sea

B. taking a boat

C. flying in a plane

D. driving

6. What can we infer from Fraser Island?

A. Few places on the mainland can offer trips around the island.

B. One should have at least 2 days to fully explore Fraser Island.

C. Lake Wabby and Lake Mckenzie are rarely visited places.

D. Only brave ones can watch sharks in the deep ocean.

7. If you want to learn sailing, you can go to            .

A. Hook Island

B. The Whitsunday Islands

C. Fraser Island

D. the Great Barrier Reef

8. The purpose of writing this passage is           .

A. to adverse for Queensland

B. to inform the latest news

C. to call on people to protect Queensland

D. to break a world record

While the U.S. is still debating about getting rid of the penny, Sweden is rapidly moving towards abolishing currency altogether. Though this may sound radical(过激的), it is a natural evolution in this digital society.

Sweden, which was the first European country to introduce banknotes in 1661, has just been working harder to convince its residents that digital payments are a safer alternative to carrying cash.

Over the years, the idea has gained popularity with residents, especially the younger generation that is much more comfortable with technology. Today many banks don’t even have ATMs and some have stopped handling cash altogether!

Tickets to ride public buses in most Swedish cities can only be purchased via cell phones. Numerous businesses are also moving towards accepting only digital payments. Even the homeless that sell street paper to make ends meet have to start accepting this mode of payment!

But despite its growing popularity, some people don’t like this radical idea. They include the homeless, elderly people as well as those living in rural areas who are still uncomfortable with mobile phones and computers. But the officials are confident that in the very near future, they will be able to convince everyone to move this safe and more cost-effective payment system.

Sweden is not the only country trying to abolish paper currency and coins. The movement is rapidly gaining ground in Denmark and Finland as well. In 2014, Israel announced a three-step plan to go cashless and just last week the vendors(小贩)of a popular street in Sydney declared they would stop accepting currency from customers. Whether this phenomenon spreads remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure—With increasingly advanced payment systems being introduced every day, pulling out cash is rapidly becoming “uncool”.

9. What can we infer from Paragraph 3 and 4?

A. Many banks in Sweden don’t have ATMs.

B. You don’t have to buy tickets when riding buses.

C. People don’t give the homeless money but food.

D. People can just take cell phones when shopping.

10. According to the passage, which information is RIGHT?

A. Sweden was the first country to get the idea to abolish currency.

B. The younger generation is opposed to the measures.

C. Bus fare can only be purchased via cell phones in most Swedish cities.

D. Banks in Sweden have stopped dealing with cash completely.

11. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A. An Advanced Country –Sweden

B. A Controversial Government Policy

C. Sweden to Influence the World’s Cash Payment

D. Sweden to Become the World’s First Cashless Society

12. Which of the following categories does this passage belong to?

A. Education.

B. Economy.

C. Travel.

D. Insurance.

Augusto Esquivel is a sculptor who, in his own words, is “crazy with comparisons of reality and potential and the balance between them.” Perhaps the best example of what he’s talking about are his most famous creations: the suspended(悬挂的) button sculptures.

Made entirely from buttons hanging on various lengths of string, Esquivel’s sculptures are made to look like common objects: a piano, a gumball machine, and even a toilet. If it wasn’t for the clear string hanging above, these objects, these sculptures, would look solid, yet you can put your hands right through them. The process starts with him deciding on a subject and setting the acrylic （丙烯酸树脂）from where the buttons are being suspended. He buys buttons of different shapes and sizes, paints them with spray paint, and carefully hangs them. After that, it’s a manner of hanging each individual button, which takes a lot of time. For his piano, for example, he individually hung over 60 pounds worth of tiny buttons.

Esquivel’s sculptures, while mostly housed inside art galleries, perfectly capture one of the main principles of street art: something that is eye-catching and something that invites interaction. Often the best sculptures outside the art galleries aren’t the ones behind guards and fencing, but the ones people can go right up to and touch. In Vancouver, a series of laughing old men are attracting people for pictures and to just generally hang around, but the people who simply walk by and see the sculptures almost always leave with a smile on their face. That’s good street art: it draws the viewer in rather than relying on a gallery to draw in an audience and point them to certain pieces.

Esquivel’s art is not only a presentation of talent, something that mentions larger philosophical questions, like the ones he stated above, but also just the right combination of interesting idea and painstaking work. One can look at his work in a critical way, or simply appreciate his idea and execution(艺术品的制作).

13. What are Esquivel’s sculptures mainly made of?

A. Clay.

B. Iron.

C. Gum.

 D. Buttons.

14. Which statement is WRONG according to Paragraph 3?

A. Some of Esquivel’s sculptures are displayed outside art galleries.

B. Esquivel’s art is good street art.

C. People can’t touch Esquivel’s sculptures involve interaction.

D. Esquivel’s sculptures can catch people’s eye and involve interaction.

15. Which of the following in NOT what Esquivel’s art wants to present?

A. Talent.

B. Idealism.

C. Philosophical questions.

D. Painstaking work.

London has become a cycle-friendly zone after the launch of a new bike hire scheme.     16   

   17    First you have to sign up to the scheme to be sent a key. The key will unlock one of the bikes, which are kept at docking stations in and around central London. You have to pay an access fee for the key and then you pay as you go, for the length of time you use the bike.

Transport for London, which runs the scheme, are hoping to have 6,000 bikes and 400 docking stations in place by the end of the year.    18     London Mayor Boris Johnston launched the scheme and said London has been “filled with thousands of gleaming (发光的) machines that will transform the look and feel of our street and become as commonplace on our roads as black cabs and red buses”.

   19    On the first day some people found they couldn’t dock their bike properly and their usage of the bike had not registered. Transport for London did admit they had been expecting a few “teething problems” and have said they would not charge for the first day as a “gesture of goodwill”. Some other people have criticized the lack of docking stations and locks for the bikes as well as the price it costs to hire the bicycles.

20       “My crusade for the capital to become the greatest big cycling city in the world has taken a great pedal-powered push forwards.”

A. So how does it work?

B. How do you like it?

C. However, there have been a few problems since the scheme was launched last Friday.

D. Despite the comments, the green-thinking London Mayor still says with certainty.

E. However, the London Mayor is confident of the scheme.

F. It has been designed to encourage more people to cycle in and around central London.

G. The new hire system is hoping to ease congestion(拥挤) in London and is expected to create up to 40,000 extra cycle trips a day into the city centre.